Psychology for the Common Good: King's Psych Students Design Research-Based Solutions to Real-World Problems
March 29, 2016
Students in Professor Marcie Penner-Wilger’s PSYCH 4694 (Collaborative Research in Applications of Psychological Science) course develop research-based solutions to real-world problems facing our community. This year, student teams designed a self-compassion program to foster resiliency in children, a psycho-educational program to support family caregivers of children with developmental disabilities, and a waitlist program to support children and their families until they receive mental health services.
Teams from previous years also provided updates on their projects including the King’s Academic Mentoring Program (KAMP), PEARS mental health education program and Stress Management & Parenting Skills program.
Student teams presented their solutions to a panel of community members on March 29th. This year's panelists included:
• Lori Higgs- VP Corporate Services and CFO, St. Joseph’s Health Care London.
• Michelle McIntyre- Social Worker in private practice and instructor at King's, Fanshawe and London Police College.
• John Pare- Chief of Police, London Police Department.
• Dale Petruka- Research Coordinator, Brant Haldimand Norfolk Catholic District School Board and Principal of St. Peter School.
- Lori Runciman- Director of Grants, London Community Foundation.
The Agnes Penner Prize, for the project with the greatest potential to benefit the community, was awarded by the panel to Self-Compassion and Mindfulness Exercises for Kids. Congratulations to Leo Bigras, Brittany Haynes, Kathryn Pierce & Shang Rashid!
PSYCH 4694E also has a course blog, The Rorshack, where students write entries about recent, relevant research in psychology - aimed at a general audience. Check it out at http://therorshack.blogspot.ca